Mambo

Evolved from son and danzón, popularized in Havana but rooted in eastern Cuba’s rhythms.

  • Developed: Late 1930s–1940s in Havana.
  • Key figures: Arsenio Rodríguez and later Dámaso Pérez Prado.
  • Influences: Mix of Son, Jazz, and Danzón.
  • Style: Fast, syncopated dance with big-band energy.
  • Impact: Became a worldwide dance craze in the 1950s.